FOOD SECURITY
The UN defines food security as the situation that exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food security has three main elements;
Availability; it must be available in sufficient quantities and consistently.
Access; people must be able to get it through purchase, home production, barter, gifts, borrowing or food aid.
Utilization; the food must have a positive nutritional impact on the consumers.
The constitution of Kenya 2010 article 43(c) states that every Kenyan has ‘a right to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality’.
This being a basic human right it behooves government to ensure that it is met for every person and that we all can have food at all time. Read on
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Affordable housing is defined as ‘housing that is affordable by that section of society whose income is below the median household income’
Article 43 (b) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 states that Kenyans have a ‘right to accessible and adequate housing and to reasonable standards of sanitation’.
This article is affirming that for Kenyans, access to safe decent housing is a right, not a privilege or luxury. It is an entitlement which they can claim from their government but in the fifty plus years we have been independent, it is one area many people have not benefitted. Read on
MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing is defined as the making of articles or converting raw materials, components or parts into finished goods that meet a customer’s expectations and specifications. Manufacturing commonly employs a man-machine set up with division of labor in large scale production.
Manufacturing is comparable to primary industries that produce raw materials and service industries that produce intangible value.
Manufacturing can be a simple operation or a large very complex one with hundreds of components to make one item.
Manufacturing is innately human and people have always sought ways to turn raw materials like wood, ore and foods into furniture, metallic objects and processed foods. This refining of products adds value to them, making them better and easier to use. Read on
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
Universal Health Coverage is when all people can access health services without suffering financial pain. These services include preventive, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. UHC enables people to get services that address the most significant causes of disease and death and ensures that the quality of these services are good for the people.
Universal Health Coverage protects people from financial consequences of paying for health services out of their own pockets and reduces the risk that people will get poor because of selling assets, using savings or borrowing.
Universal Health Coverage is not a free coverage for all interventions for the simple reason that few governments can provide this sustainably.
According to the World Health Organization the following obtain:
– Half of the world’s people do not have full medical cover
-One hundred million people are at risk of sliding into poverty due to medical bills
-Eight hundred million people spend over 10% of their household budgets on medical costs
-All United Nations members have agreed to try and achieve UHC by 2030 as part of sustainable development goals. Read on